Prime-Time Television : A Concise History

"Well-written and clearly and intelligently laid out, this book's greatest strength for high-school researchers is the historically grounded contrasting of radio with television for students unaware of the similarities between the two. This work best serves those concerned with the macro-level of broadcast entertainment, rather than the micro-level of details about specific programs." - School Library Journal "[P]rovides a complete and accessible understanding of the media medium of television through the historical and modern study of sitcoms, dramas, and other prime-time television particulars. Delving deep into the intricacies of American popular culture and the influential role played by many television shows, Prime-Time Television features a scholarly analysis of the shows, producers, genres, trends, and ideals behind various influential television productions. A seminal contribution to university level Popular Culture reference collections, Prime-Time Television is very strongly recommended reading." - MBR Internet Bookwatch "Organized chronologically, this text examines trends in the prime- time programming of the broadcast networks from its roots in 1920s radio to present day offerings. Writing as both academics and fans, Moore and co-authors discuss all of the major technical, aesthetic, and cultural developments in the medium. Sidebars cover such topics as the quiz show scandals and the introduction of the three-camera filmed sitcom." - Reference & Research Book News "Barbara Moore, Marvin R. Bensman, and Jim Van Dyke have cobbled together a compendium of thoroughly researched evidence that America's top medium for news and information got to be No. 1 for prime-time reasons. The programs, the regulations and the history of television, accompanied by a generous collection of photographs, combine for an interesting addition to the shelves of TV buffs anywhere." - American Journalism